If you want to wear hiking boots, experience some history, and see views that take your breath away, tackle Mount Young. Situated at the north end of the island, the 650-foot summit offers unmatched panoramas of San Juan, Canada’s Gulf Islands, Vancouver Island, and beyond. Pick up the trailhead across the road from English Camp, occupied by the British in 1860 and find traces of its history on Mount Young itself—watch for the 1860s Royal Marine Cemetery.
The trail rises at a steady gradient, with plenty of places for you to stop, catch your breath, and drink in the views, which get more and more rewarding as you climb. The forest of evergreens, madrones, and oaks thins to a clearing at the summit. You’ll see several varieties of wildflowers in the spring. If you’ve brought lunch, settle down and enjoy some of the best views in the area. You have the world at your feet.
